Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Singalong Version Dominates Weekend Box Office
A singalong version of the popular Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” is set to rake in a substantial $18 million to $20 million at the box office this weekend, securing the top spot in domestic theaters. Surprisingly, this achievement was reached even though the film was only shown for two-thirds of the weekend, specifically on Saturday and Sunday.
This isn’t the first time a streaming title has claimed the number one spot at the box office. Earlier this summer, Apple’s “F1” (distributed in U.S. theaters by Warner Bros.) made an impressive $57 million debut. However, this marks the first occasion that Netflix has emerged as the leader in theater box office rankings.
It’s worth noting that Netflix itself does not disclose box office figures, so the reported numbers are preliminary estimates from other industry sources.
A Weekend of Quiet Success
The success of “KPop Demon Hunters” comes amidst a weekend without major new releases. Apart from the film, the top-grossing movie was “Weapons,” which earned an estimated $15.4 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $115 million.
This milestone is significant for Netflix, a company known for bypassing traditional theatrical releases. The closest it has come to a theatrical release was a one-week run of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” sequel “Glass Onion,” which earned an estimated $15 million in theaters. Furthermore, Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” adaptation is anticipated to generate substantial box office numbers upon its exclusive Imax release next fall.
Impressive Streaming Success
Despite being available for streaming since late June, “KPop Demon Hunters” has quickly risen to the second spot on Netflix’s all-time most-watched movies list, with over 210 million views. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and featuring a predominantly Korean/Korean American voice cast, the film follows a K-Pop girl group that doubles as demon hunters, facing off against a rival boy band.
One of the film’s songs, “Golden,” from its soundtrack, topped the Billboard charts and has amassed over 400 million streams on Spotify.
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Theater Chain Controversy
Despite its success, AMC Theatres chose not to screen the singalong version of “KPop Demon Hunters,” adhering to its policy of requiring an exclusive theatrical window for movies. However, AMC was the only major theater chain to make this decision.